Add this to more underwhelming Pixar news for me, but apparently the studio is moving forward with the long-in-development sequel to FINDING NEMO and they've just secured their main attraction, Albert Brooks, who voiced the titular character's dad, Marlin, in the blockbuster film. Brooks, who apparently closed a deal for a nice payday to return, will once again join co-star Ellen Degeneres as Dory and director Andrew Stanton for another trip under the sea. Tentatively titled FINDING NEMO 2 and slated for a 2016 release, no story details are known, but it's likely the duo of Marlin and Dory will once again venture forth to locate that pesky, troublemaking Nemo.

Brooks is coming off a decent acting streak, especially for his role in the Nicolas Winding Refn thriller DRIVE, where he played a brutal mobster and his performance as a deadbeat dad in Judd Apatow's THIS IS 40. Director Andrew Stanton has had less luck in the live-action genre, as his JOHN CARTER failed to launch with audiences, despite being a fun flick. It's rumored that Disney will give him another go in the live-action chair as part of the deal to direct the NEMO sequel.

Normally, I like sequels, but they need to be worth the trip. It seems that Pixar has gotten franchise fever and are reluctant to push new and original movies like they have done in the past and that's disconcerting. I liked FINDING NEMO just fine, but do I need to a sequel? No. No more than I need to see more MONSTERS, INC. or CARS. Even BRAVE, as most of us know, was a Pixar reimagining of BROTHER BEAR. Let's hope that their upcoming THE GOOD DINOSAUR can bring back the magic.

FINDING NEMO 2 is slated for release sometime in 2016. Oh, and if you really want to taint your view of FINDING NEMO check out this article. You'll never watch the film the same again.